This place really shocked me - the food is really good!
Came here last night for a concert (only $5 cover and a GREAT show!) and I wasn't expecting good food. For whatever reason I have found the best concert venues often have substandard food. So after grabbing drinks and wanting to fill my stomach I cautiously ordered a Big Kahuna Burger (bonus points on the name!) and some Calamari for my wife. We got given a number and only a few minutes later our food arrived! Impressive considering the huge crowds of people there for the show that night.
Oh my gosh was that Big Kahuna Burger ever AMAZING! It was juicy, perfectly cooked (not too dry) and bursting with flavor. My wife had a similar reaction with the Calamari; it was crispy batter and juicy on the inside. I think she said it was the best she has had in months.
The atmosphere is hip; posters on the walls from past and present, and just a cool place to hang out. There were lots of beers on tap and the prices were more than reasonable. Also the people there had personality! For instance when the runner dropped off our food he said we were number 3, and now he was making us number 2, and should we get lucky we might even get to be #1. It was quirky and fun. I love it!
Will be back!
Oh also worth noting:
- Lots of free street parking nearby
- Kitchen closes at 10pm most nights (so come earlier for food)
- Cover is cash only
- Arrive early to get seats; this place gets busy!
Now legally, I don't really think that they can strictly behave racist or classicist, but if their goal is to completely gentrify my neighborhood, well then they are doing a great job! If you're not a white guy with a guitar and you expect to be respected then go to another bar. This is Portlandia heaven mixed in with that freedom from white guilt with a side of bland sauce to dip it all into. Let's just say I walked off on my own performance because I was so morally disturbed by that space. Beer was cool tho..
Review Source:Rated the best open mic in the East Bay 2013! (Every tuesday no cover 7:30ish) In my opinion, they also have one of the best poetry night as well. (Every Wednesday night $8 cover)
Always an eclectic crowd. Always a good time, even better when the school's back in session.
Really good pub food. I would try any of the burgers or fries. Everything they serve has the "oh shit" factor since they are always generous with the toppings.
The staff is always really nice and on their game. (Cheers)
If they served liquor at this place it would most likely break into an all out riot, even on weeknights.
The Starry Plough has my heart. I adore this place.
The Starry Plough is like a second home to me. I have been coming to the Berkeley Poetry Slam since I was 16--the pub is one of the friendliest, warmest environments you are likely to ever come across. The food is delicious, perfect munchie food--the beer selection is huge and the events they host, such as the slam, are all fascinating/powerful stuff. Highly recommend.
Review Source:Great beer selection and delicious pub food at a good price. Â Burger and fries are solid, as well as the fish and chips. Â Considering the dearth of good restaurants in the neighborhood, this place is an oasis.
Left-wing propaganda, classic beer ads, and Irish decor cover the walls. Â Live music quite regularly that ranges from catchy to jesus-christ-I-just-want-to-have-a-pint-with-my-Âfriends-without-this-noise. Â Very Berkeley.
Really great music, really great vibes, really great burgers.
Come on down to the Starry Plough.
One of my favorite places around. Â The Wednesday Night poetry slam is kind of lame when they start shushing people - but, overall, it's a fun time to be had by all.
Try and negotiate a price if they're asking a cover for some of the better bands.
Starry Plough is a Berkeley institution that I have loved for years. It has so much going for it. Wonderful sound set up by the great Meyer Labs. A Great Selection of bear on tap. Friendly people and comfortable atmosphere. Â l I've greatly enjoyed the pizza and everything else I've had to eat there. However....
Although it used to be a solid 4.5 star venue I feel it has gone way down hill in the past year or two and hopefully things turn around so I can give this awesome place the extra couple stars it could and should have.
What happened to the rock, blues, jazz, and country music  look at the calendar. "Lo-Fi Indie Dub Pop""???? "Folk Harmonies and Eclectic Roots"??? "Honky-Tonk Harmonies & Bluegrass Beats"??? Can't we just call each show "Hipster Bullshit friends of new booking agent"
Hardly anyone I've ever heard of plays there anymore. Why aren't you booking Skerik, Mike Watt, Will Blades, Eric Mcfadden, etc. These guys used to play here and played 2 long sets. Â There are also a bunch of my favorite lesser known local bands who I used to see regularly here who a couple have told me they've tried can't get a gig here anymore.
On the few occasions when they have had someone noteworthy they don't even give them 2 sets. For example: Last time Baby Gramps was there he played one 50 minute  set for a full room who promptly left afterward when some horrible hipster band came on.
Also The Calendar on the website is total clusterfuck!!!
Each show on the calendar should be
Date & Time
BAND #1'S NAME
(rock, pop)
BAND #2'S NAME
(jazz, blues)
BAND #3'S NAME
 (alt, country)
Maybe 1 more line if the artist was a member of widely recognized former band or if the evening is part of a big festival. Everything should be clear and at a glance I should know who's playing when.
Who puts together a calendar that looks like this <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.starryploughpub.com%2Feventscalendar%2Fcalendar&s=d7f16c80cc6d6905d6cc85a93133505f44368d934a9565416b2e032009995e04" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.starryploughp…</a> my eyes hurt looking at this page and again how high were they when they came up these descriptions.  This is an example of one of there calendar entries as it was formatted on the webpage. You don't have to be photoshop master but come on now!! I don't even who's playing this show, is it the Folk Harmonies? The Eclectic Roots?? Misner?? Smith?? Plus Starry plough has no doors time its a pub you can get a beer  and some pizza at 4pm.  Way too confusing.
Folk Harmonies and
Eclectic Roots w/
MISNER &
SMITH, THE
MOCKINGBIRDS
(ex-Bass Line
Dada/Hoarhound)
and ALPHA
BITCH SOUP (ex-
Lemon
Limelights
)
Doors @ 8:00,
Show from
9:00pm-12:00am
Again I really love this place and look forward to changing this entry soon. Â I find it particularly frustrating because before the closing of Blakes, Becketts, & the DownLow I said the Starry Plough was the best place in Berkeley for bar-bands now it's the only place left in berkeley for bar-bands to play. I love going the JazzSchool, the Frieght and Salvage, and Ashkenaz but you won't see the kinda bands I used to see at the Plough there. And apparently you won't see them here either which is why I used to come in once a month and now I come about twice a year. Hopefully they take notice and turn things around soon.
Love this place. Â I've been coming here for a few years now. Â If you're in the area, stop by for a drink and some great food. Â Good beers on tap, good prices, and there's usually entertainment, ranging from open mic to irish dancing to poetry slams. Â Friendly staff and patrons, too!
Review Source:What an awesome, albeit, unassuming little gem! You would think dive bar from the outside, but once you enter? Its a quaint little bar lined with posters from upcoming artists and politics from yester year alike. Yummy Irish beers filled our glasses (on tap) all night long. Oh yeah, did I mention the amazing smells coming from the kitchen? Or the fact that they had live Irish music filling our drunken ears?! Im so paying a visit my next time in the  Berk!
Review Source:Who woulda thunk it. Â BEST WINGS EVER?? Â Craziness.
We got 4 orders of em (for 2 people) Yeah, they were that good. Â
FYI: I got the sauce on the side, and no extra flour "dustings". Â (see pic) Â
Note: After 8 pm, they have a weird sliding scale cover. Â It's strange. Â I didn't understand it. Â But didn't really have to deal with it. Â If I have to pay to get in, in order to eat wings, I probably wouldn't go back.
BEER & WINE (limited) ONLY
Bands were entertaining. Â Sound setup was good. Â As a band, it's a cool place to play.
*** BOMB ASS BURGER ALERT ***
Yeah, there's a bar and a stage and all that jazz but what really matters is that this place has the best burger in the universe! It's a herbaceous, meaty, slab of greed and food beckoned sluttyness. The 1st bite delivers you and the last sends you plummeting into the realization that the experience is over.
This burger begets fatness. If all burgers tasted like this burger we would all look like the people in Wall-E and make little burger shrines that worship the mighty Angus and Kobe. The economy would fall into despair and cow meat would become a tool for barter. Â Why does this burger taste so fucking good?!!!?
I am 79% - 95% certain that this burger is a secret mechanism for world domination. Beware of the sweet, savory rivulets of grease that sumptuously slide down your cheek like dirty tears of joy as you obliviously nosh your way to oblivion. The impending calamity of  fatty grief and food snob ruin will be your only fate.
We checked out the Starry Plough Pub since I had 2 tickets to see some band Th 4/11/13. Â It's walking distance from Ashby Bart so you don't need to drive.
They have a bar & sell food. Â
B. got fried calamari $6 - he ate a bunch & gives it 2 stars, it was crispy, but didn't taste like calamari, I didn't try it. Â
He also got 2 glasses of red wine - he seemed to like it.
Band - was forgettable. Â Bring earplugs!! otherwise you'll go Deaf!! Â They charge you to hear the band - Not free. Â Sliding scale, I think she said $6-12 when we went.
After that band we left, but there was suppose to be a bunch more until Midnight!
If I lived closer maybe I'd go back, not in any hurry.
This is the best open mic in Berkeley. When i was living in Oakland we came here twice a week. Awesome ambiance, great crowd every Tuesday. the food is amazing. they recently changed the menu and hired a new chef who is killin it in the kitchen. Home made aioli on their fish sandwich, the meat was superb quality and the portion was gigantic. They have tons of beers on draft as well as a few bottles of good wine. Fortunately they don't serve hard liquor. and the music
Review Source:This review is based on the buzzkill that 'ploughed' into my evening last night. "Captain F--king Sandy."
Place looked busy, solid 4 stars on Yelp, driven past the 'Plough' (am I cool enough to call it that yet?) at least 50 times, why not be all urban 'n shit and check this block out.
I stepped into this joint and some woman on a barstool was all... "something something some-band, and the suggested something is $10 - $15 sliding scale."
SLIDING SCALE?
We had NO idea what she was on about, but apparently venues don't pay artists for the bands these days - only unsuspecting patrons, trying out bars for the first time (or fans of the bands, who apparently knew they were playing that night) do.
Note to the future semi-sober party people trying to escape the reality of this place after paying $10 on the sliding scale unwillingly. This place serves up ONLY the finest BEER and WINE - ONLY. None of that get rich quick liquor. Â
The real estate (seating) was all booked up, so myself, my husband and his similarly named coworker all stood about trying to finish our beers ASAP to get further into the 'starry' bit of it.
Done, done and done. Never returning. Unless... nope never returning. Well, unless - I'm driving down Shattuck and accidentally run over one of their patrons or something and need someone to call 911, because they seemingly alway cross the crosswalk at night in the dark out front of this place without looking for cars.
Also, question of the century, why would the sliding scale have a limit of how much you can donate? This is not a scalable solution for the bands playing at this venue.
I'll see myself out.
I adore this tavern not only for its revolution like theme, but mainly for the poetry slams it has been housing for god only knows how long.
I have been frequenting the poetry slam for at least 15 years now and you must give credit not only to the friendly bar tender but also the poets that have made this a home to artist, writers, and great thinkers... As well as great drinkers of course.
This place has a good hold on my heart.
The location in Berkeley is also suiting, because what's a Berkeley adventure without meeting unique people and off the beaten road dive like places. Seriously though, don't mistake this as a dive bar. It is much more than that and not that at all.
It's absolutely incredible, and do not pass up the garlic fries as they alone are also worth the visit.
OMG! I can't stop thinking about the Bacon Cheese Burger I had on Sunday. Â Man the bacon was meaty (not crispy) The burger was well seasoned and the roll/bun was buttery and toasty! The Aoli was delicious! The fries were hot straight out the grease! Man I can't wait to go back and get another one. Â The only thing was my meat was done before my bread, which at the end didn't matter so much because the roll/bun is so delicous it was a great way to top it off. Â OH and the tomatoes on the burger where delicious. Â And the Pub owner is easy on the eyes! Plus he helped me find my favorite boots I left there after a show last month I thought they were gone forever! Â I'll be back!
Review Source:The location of this place is great, especially if you live in Oakland and loathe going into the depths of Berkeley to be entertained.
I went on Friday to see my friend's band, Emily Bonn and the Vivants, headline that night. We got there before the first band even went on, and the place was packed!
The beers on tap were pretty good and relatively inexpensive ($5?), though bar service wasn't always that fast for how busy the place was.
The sound was fairly well done, though I'm not sure it was optimized for the kind of music that was being played that night (folk & bluegrass).
It was a good time all around, and I'd go back in a heartbeat for more shows.
Ya know, it rare that I find such a comfy bar/ restaurant that makes me sick, literally, but this pub's food did.
I had a medium rare hamburger with soggy fries  and didn't
get any sleep that night due to my volatile vomiting that happened as a direct result.
I tried calling the next day and there 's no room left on their answering machine, it's like, get a cell phone, it's 2013, c'mon!
One of my favorite local pubs. It's truly the essence of Berkeley, with its mix of protest propaganda and world folk music. Good burgers and great sounds. The owners and staff are incredibly friendly!
Get jiggy here and dance a ceilidh or bounce around to the brass of the Balkans. Love it.
My neighborhood pub. Friendly staff, good food, reasonable prices. Zero snobbery. Great for both loud weekend-night events and quieter early-evening hanging-out. Come here twice, and they will remember you when you walk in the third time.
The best part: the inclusive crowd. I love that the Plough attracts people of every age and stripe and persuasion. Really. Whoever you are, your people are here.
Finally, a sign of the Plough's good heart: Yes they'll be watching the A's and Giants games...but they'll MUTE THE COMMERCIALS.
I love pubs. And this pub is no exception. Â
A somewhat hidden bar, I went here with a few of my friends to catch up and grab some drinks. Â Had a great time with the wide beer selection (it's a pub, what do you expect?), food (I would say typical bar food, but quite tasty), dart range, and a stage where local musicians performed!
Scared to bring your family here? No Fear! When I was here there were several families with their children, all just having a great time grabbing food and mingling with the local musicians. Â Overall I found this pub to have a great chill vibe and would definitely come here again.
I'm not sure if there are many irish pubs like these.. but you will meet all types of people here..seriously ALL TYPES.. from hippies to conservative folks... poets, bohemians, wannabe rock stars, rappers, wristcutters, loners... the list goes on and on and every performance that i've seen here whether good or just okay has been really fun to watch and quite interesting if ya know what i mean..
my advice to anyone who wants to come to the open mic on tuesdays.. Â bring an open mind and come early enough to snag a seat
Nique.. simple and true.. Starry Plough is a Dive Bar... lol  But keep in mind dive bar's are NOT bad. Â
The beer is cold, the food is hot, the chairs won't break under you. Â There is bands.. and some are actually ok. Â Even better is the soul this place gives can never be erased. Â its so engraved that even if you tore this building down to the ground, it will be in the memories of so many for at least 100 years, maybe even more. Â
IPA, Darks, Reds.. drink up.. before last call.
Starry Plough, i haven't been here in decades, not since my college days. Starry has changed, evolved into an artsy venue for performance arts, poetry readings, musical performances, etc.
new is the stage, the food. dispensary in the left corner, the cluster of tables in the middle for dining. the bar on the left is the same.
h-h , 4-7? m-sat, didn't ask what's involved. . probably beers
pour: summerfest (4) daily special
eats: creme brulee (2.5)
-got 3 small one. closeout? or is this the way they come?
heavy sugar glaze
custard flavor not too noticeable. creamy..
on draught:
-4 stars for the remaining bar and draught choices
-not rating the venue since i wasn't really listening.to the band.
-has the same irsh poster on the walls from way back when.
A great place to catch a live band and hang out. I immediately felt at ease as I walked in ~ a friendly, Irish pub, locals vibe filled with a pleasant mix of people, ranging from college age to seniors.
The set up consists of an open-room format ~ a long bar and a few tables + chairs on one side, a counter for ordering pub food in the back (fish & chips, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and daily entree specials), and a low stage with a medium-size dance floor on the other side. Folks were rockin' out, having a blast the night I went.
There was a debate going on between friends about whether Starry Plough was a dive or not. The opinions were strong on both sides, but after a few recent visits involving impressive cover bands, monstrous hamburgers from their kitchen, and a bevvy of microbrews from the bar, the jury had been swayed...Starry Plough is not guilty of dive status.
But don't let that scare you away! The anti-government/ Irish pride paraphernalia gives it a charm all it's own.
I feel pretty darn lucky to have this happenin' little hideaway within stumbling distance from home. They've got an interesting line-up of live music virtually every day of the week. I haven't been to their infamous Open Mic night yet, but the Friday night shows have been fun, drawing a lively all-walks-of-life crowd. Â You'll see old folks dancing tenderly, tripped out hippies with their eyes closed and their arms flailing, and tame observers tapping their toes. At least, this was the case for "Petty Theft", a seriously spot-on Tom Petty cover band.
Speaking of covers, the bigger shows are usually $10 so you'd better plan to stay awhile, call some friends, and make a night of it. It's a down-home kinda place where just about any fun-loving boozer will feel welcomed.
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